Now, the first long-term (3-year) guarantee for batteries in load-shedding applications - from Powermode

Now, the first long-term (3-year) guarantee for batteries in load-shedding applications - from Powermode

By Jack Ward, MD of Powermode

The prevalence of routine load shedding and power outages has exposed one of the Achilles heels of standby power devices. This is the shortened lifespan of batteries when subjected to full depletion on a regular basis. This includes specialised, sealed, deep cycle VRLA (Valve Regulated Lead Acid) Absorbed Glass Matt batteries.

These batteries are not designed to cope with load-shedding. They’re intended to backup sensitive equipment such as computers for brief periods of time – between five and 15 minutes. During this time diesel generators take over or operators are expected to save open files and execute a safe power-down.

A period of load shedding, usually ranging from two to four hours, can fully deplete a battery pack. If repeated often enough, the batteries’ life reduced to around six months or less.

To make matters worse, battery manufacturers seldom stand by their stated warranties, often claiming abuse in load-shedding applications as an ‘out’.

A ‘first’ for the SA market

Now, Powermode has launched the Q-on LR (Long Run) Battery Pack which features a comprehensive three-year guarantee. This is over and above the manufacturer’s warranty.

Underpinning Powermode’s money-back guarantee is the ‘smart’ technology built into the battery pack. This includes a battery charger with a computerised battery balancing harness that automatically reports - via the Internet and a ‘cloud-based’ portal to the Powermode control room - on a wide range of parameters associated with individual batteries in the pack.

Data streams containing information critical to the well-being of individual batteries, including temperature, state of charge and depth of discharge are monitored and a tally of the number of discharge/charge cycles is recorded.

Real-time battery management

Powermode provides management and regular servicing of a Q-on LR Battery Pack, no matter where it is sited country-wide. Should an individual battery’s performance not meet design specifications or fail for any reason it will be replaced immediately.

What’s the key to battery longevity? It lies in a thorough understanding of the status of individual batteries in a multi-battery pack in terms of their duty cycles and load factors.

The technology incorporated in the management of the battery pack not only distributes and balances the battery load, discharge and charge regimes across all batteries but takes steps to ensure that no battery is compromised through over-cycling or a malfunction of any kind.

It’s important to note that unmanaged VLRA batteries do not last; properly managed batteries do!

• The Q-on LR Battery Pack, which is housed in a purpose-built cabinet, is an ideal complement to power standby units in retail and other applications where the use of generators is impossible or prohibited.

Find us:

  

www.powermode.co.za